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Sunday Tribune reports that the SA sugar industry is in crisis according to the South African Canegrowers Association. But the government has a different perspective and would only confirm that it was aware of challenges the sector faced.
Graeme Stainbank, chairman of the association, said 350,000 jobs were at stake if issues facing the R14 billion industry were not addressed. These factors included unsteady rainfall, plunging world sugar prices, weak protection against cheap imports and a dip in demand following the implementation of the sugar tax. Stainbank has asked government to grant the industry tariff protection to shield it from cheap imports from countries like Brazil where the industry was subsidised. He said tightened restrictions to stop sugar from neighbouring countries entering the local market without duty fees would also help the industry. He called on government to take immediate action to prevent an imminent collapse. “It is a matter of profound public interest that is having a serious impact on land reform, small-scale and commercial farmers,” Stainbank said in a statement. Sidwell Medupe, a spokesperson for the Department of Trade and Industry said they were exploring opportunities for the sugarcane industry to generate alternative income streams such as ethanol for fuel as well as generating electricity.
- Read the original of Annie Dorasamy’s report on this matter in full at Sunday Tribune
- Read too, SA's sugar industry in decline for the past 19 years, at Business Report
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page